Thao And The Get Down Stay Down: New Home, New Album

Thao Nguyen has been busy since her last album, Know Better Learn Faster, came out in 2009. The band moved to San Francisco while Nguyen explored recording with other artists, even making an album with Mirah.

But, as we hear in this segment on World Cafe, it was developing a sense of community in her new Bay Area home that most inspired Thao & The Get Down Stay Down's new album, We the Common. In "Kindness Be Conceived," she shared songwriting duties and vocals with fellow San Francisco musician Joanna Newsom. World Cafe's Michaela Majoun delves into it all with Nguyen, who gives some great live performances, too.